Machine for cutting elliptical



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

M. HELBLING. MACHINE FOR CUTTING ELLIPTIOAL SHAPES.

No. 342,357. PatentedMay 25, 1886.

[my/anion @WaZZ L yam a.

N. FUSES. PholwLilho m h-m washingtm mc.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. M, HELBL'ING. MACHINE FOR CUTTINGELLIPTICAL SHAPES.

A Patented May 25, 1886.

ogmbhur, Wishingtun. u. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL HELBLING, OF ALLEGHENY CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING ELLIPTlCAL SHAPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 342,357, dated May 25,1886.

Application filed March 13, 1886. Serial X0. 195,086. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MIorIAEL HELBLING, of Allegheny City, in the countyof Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Machines for Cutting Elliptical Shapes; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side view ofthemachine. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof on the line :0 m ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section on the line y y of Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section 011 the line 2 c of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa plan view of the bottom of the disk 8, some of the parts being omittedfor clearness of illustration. Fig. 6 is a diagram plan view of the disk8, shown detached fromits driven parts. Figs. 5 and 6 are on a smallerscale than the remaining figures.

Like symbols ofreference indicate like parts in each.

The purpose of my machine is to provide a machine for cutting ellipticalor otherwise irregularly curved shapes in sheet metal, and especiallyfor cutting the elliptical man-holes in boiler-heads. This work hasheretofore commonly been done by drilling, at the eX- pense of muchlabor and time.

In the drawings, 2 is a bed, on which is placed the metal plate to beoperated on. It is provided with slots 3, in which bolts are arrangedfor holding the plate in position.

4 is the bed-plate of the machine, underlying the bed 2.

5 is a standard, which extends upward from the bed-plate 4, projectshorizontally over bed 2, and at its end has'a vertical hollowbracketarm, 6. A rod, 7, is arranged in the arm 6 so as to he movablevertically therein, and on the lower end of the rod, which projectsbelow the hollow arm 6, is a horizontal plate or disk, 8, which supportsand moves the cutting-tools. This disk is loosely journaled on acontracted neck on the bottom of the shaft, and is secured in positionby a nut or nuts, 9, Fig. 2. The disk 8 is provided with radial slots10, Fig. 6, which are made diametrically opposite to each other. Thetool-carriers, which are arranged in these slots, I prefer to make inseveral pieces. Each has a block, 11, made of the same width as the slotand arranged to slide longitudinally therein. This block has a flange orhead, a, which rests upon the surface of the disk 8 and supports thetool-carrier. A flanged foot. 12, is'fastencd to the nnder side of theblock 11 by screws 13, and projecting to each side of the slot 10 on the-under side of the disk 8, together with the head (1., holds the blockin position. The block 11 is further guided and held in place by angularslidebearings 33, bolted to the under side of the disk 8 and bearingagainst the flanges of the foot 12. The foot 12 is pro vided with alongitudinal T-shapcd groove or slideway, I), on its under face, which,when the foot is in position, is radial relatively to the disk 8. AT-shaped block or slide, 14, is mounted in the groove 7), and is movablelongitudinally therein. A screw-threaded shank, 15, projects downwardfrom the slide 14, and on this is screwed the toolhead proper, 16, whichhas a flanged head, 17, at its upper end. The cutting-tool 18 is set ina hollow bore in the head 17, and is there held by a set-screw, 19. Itwill be noticed that the tool-head may be set in any part of thegroove 1) in the foot 12 by loosening the tool-head on the screw 15,moving it with the slide 14 to the desired position in the groove, andthen rescrewing the head until its flange engages the bottom of the foot12, whereby it is clamped in place. It will be understood that thecutting-tool and the auxiliary parts just described are duplicated, thesets being arranged on opposite sides of the rod 7, to work inconjunction with the opposite slots, 10. The disk Sis surmount ed by aplate, 20, which is rigidly secured to therod 7, and which has on itsunder side an elliptical groove, 0, extending around theplate. Theblocks 11 are provided with friction wheels or rollers 21, journaledhorizontally on their upper sides and lying within the elliptical groove0. The disk 8 is made revoluble on the axis 7, preferably by the meansshown in the drawings, the periphery of the disk being cogged andmeshing with. a pinion, 22,

whose shaft 23 is stepped at the base on the bed-plate 4, and at itsupper end is provided with a beveled gear-wheel, 24, which meshes withand is driven by a pinion, 25, on the main shaft 26 of the machine. Thelatter shaft is driven by a belt-pulley, 27, and as it rotates V 2seass'v it is obvious that it will also turn the cogged disk 8 with thecutters and their auxiliary parts around the central shaft, 7. As thedisk 8 rotates the rollers 21, moving with it in the elliptical groove0, will be acted upon by the sides of the groove as by a cam, and willmove the blocks 11 in and out in the slots 10, projecting them to theirfarthest extent when the rollers are coincident with the major axis ofthe ellipse and retracting them most when they lie in the minor axis.The cutters 18, being connected with the blocks 11,will partake of theirmotion, and as the disk 8 revolves will describe a single ellipsesupposing the cutters to be set at equal distances from the axis of thedisk.

The disk 8, the guideplate 20, and the cutters with their auxiliaryparts are arranged to be lowered or raised toward or from the bed 2 bythe following mechanism: The upper part of the shaft 7 is provided withan axial screw-threaded core into which fits a threaded spindle orshaft, 28. The latter has a collar, 29, situate within the bore of thearm 6, and arranged to prevent upward motion of the spindle, and acollar, 30, bearing on the upper end of the arm (3, prevents downwardmotion thereof. The collar 30 is shown in the drawings as constituted bya hand wheel or lever keyed to the spindle and designed to be used inrotating it.

31 isa longitudinal groove or keyway made in the circumference of theshaft 7, and 32 is a key or stud traversing the side of the arm 6 andentering this keyway, so as to permit longitudinal motion of the shaft,while preventing its rotation. Thus constructed, it is clear that if thelever 30 be turned it will raise or lower the shaft 7 with its connectedparts accordingly as the lever is turned in one direction or the other.

The operation is as follows: The plate of metal to be cut is placed onthe bed 2, as at 34, and the lever 30 is turned until the out ters 18are brought into contact with the plate. The machine is then set inmotion, and as the cutters 18 travel around the axis of motion of thedisk 8 they will cut an elliptical channel or kerf in the plate. As thecutting proceeds, the operating parts are gradually depressed by meansof the lever 30, thus deepening the out until it extends through theplate and entirely cuts out the elliptical piece of metal.

I have reduced my invention to actual pracrice, and have found that themachine does the work speedily and well, making a clean cut, the edgesof which need little, if any, subsequent trimming.

The advantages and economy of the machine will be appreciated by thoseskilled in the art.

The dimensions of the ellipse cut may be regulated by the adjustment ofthe cutterheads at the desired distance from the center of the disk 8,in the manner which I have already explained.

I do not desire to limit myself strictly to the arrangement of the partswhich I have shown and described. For example, the socalled disk 8 neednot be made circular, and may be driven otherwise than by a pinionacting on its cogged periphery; nor need there be two cutters employed,since the machine will operate, though possibly not so well, if there beonly one.

I have described my invention as applicable to the cutting of ellipticalshapes; but it is obvious that by a simple change of form of theguide-groove c the cutters may be made to cut oval or otherirregularly-curved shapes. I desire to include all such modifications bythe use of the Words elliptical and ellipse, used by me in thespecification, and in the following claims.

I claim as my invention 1. In a machine for cutting elliptical shapes,the combination of a traveling cutter and an elliptical guide whichguides the cutter and causes it to describe an ellipse, substantially asand for the purposes described.

2. In a machine for cutting elliptical shapes, the combination of arotary disk or'plate, a cutter secured thereto and movable'radiallythereon, and an elliptical guide bearing on and guiding said cutter,substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a machine for cutting elliptical shapes, the combination of arotary disk or plate, a cutter secured thereto and movable radiallythereon, an elliptical guide bearing on and guiding said cutter, andmechanism, substan tially as described, for elevating and depressingsaid plate or disk and the cutter, as and for the purposes specified.

4. In a machine for cutting elliptical shapes, the combination of arotary disk or plate, an elliptical guide, a block, 11, mounted on saiddisk or plate, movable radially thereon and bearing on said guide, and acutter-head secured to said block and movable and adjustable thereontoward and away from the center of rotation of said disk or plate,substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. In a machine for cutting elliptical shapes, the combination of acutter mounted in slideways and an elliptical guide which bears on andguides the cutter, causing it to move back and forth in its slidewayscorrespondingly to the shape of the guide, whereby it produces anelliptical cut, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of March,A. D. 1886.

MICHAEL I-IELBLING.

\Vitnesses:

W. B. Conwnv, THOMAS W. BAKEWELL.

